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F. J. MOORE.

TESTING PLUG.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 25, ms.

Patented Dec. 9, 1919.

wllfnes-ses pairs rarns irnrnnrorrioa FRANCIS J. MOORE, or Mrmm'nroms, MINNESOTA.

TESTING-FLU G.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. Moore, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Testing- Plugs; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention has for its object to provide an extremely simple and highly efficient temporary sealing plug for vent pipes and the like. To the above end, the

' invention consists of the novel devices'and combinations of devices hereinafter described and defined'in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentaryview, partly in elevation and partly in central vertical section, illustrating the invention applied in a jacket-equipped vent pipe;

Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to Fig. 1, with the exception that the sealing plug has1 been moved into a position to break the sea Fig. 3 is a view of the vent pipe after the sealing plug and seal have been removed;

and

Fig. 4 is a view corresponding to Fig. 3,

with the exception that the upper end of the jacket has been bent downward into said vent pipe.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of the upper end of the vent pipe illustrating the clamping band in detail.

The numeral 5 indicates a vent pipe having a jacket 6 spaced apart therefrom to afford an air chamber, the upper end of which is closed by a sleeve 7 of relatively soft material, preferably sheet lead. This sleeve 7 is telescoped onto the upper end of the jacket 6 and soldered or otherwise secured thereto to afford a tight joint. The upper end portion of the sleeve 7 is contracted to bring the same into close contact with the upper end portion of the vent pipe 5 and is also extended thereabove, as best shown in Fig. 3, for a purpose that will presently appear.

A clamping band 8, the ends of which are connected by draw bolts ;9 is applied around Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Dec, 9, 1919, Application filed October 25, 1918. Serial No. 259,698.

the contracted portion of the sleeve 7 for drawing the same against the vent pipe 5 to form an air, water and gas tight joint between said sleeve and vent pipe. Obviously, the pliable nature of the material from which the sleeve 7 is formed permits the same 'to be fitted against pipes, which vary slightly in diameter and that are irregular in shape.

To temporarily seal a vent pipe, while the roughed-in plumbing work is being tested for leaks, I provide a sealing plug 10 having an axially projecting stem 11. This sealing plug 10 has an outturned base flange 12, of such material as to loosely fit 11." Longitudinally spaced shoulders 13 on the transverse member of the holder 13 engage opposite sides of the stem 11 to keep the holder properly positioned with respect to the sealing plug.

The width of the holder 13 is such as to permit the free ends of its arms, when turned down, to rest upon the top of the vent pipe 5 and support the sealing plug 10 in its uppermost or operative positions, as shownin Fig. 1. In this position of the holder 13, the joint between the vent pipe 5 is closed by first placing oakum 1 1 and then pouring melted lead 15 thereon, which is afterward calked by the use of a suitable calking tool. The purpose of the oakum 14 is, of course, to prevent the molten lead 15 from running down between the vent pipe and sealing plug.

After the proper tests have been made, the seal in the vent pipe 5 is broken to put the system in operative condition by first turning the holder 13 to lift its arms out of engagement with the sealing pipe. In case the free ends of the arms of the holder should strike the projecting upper end of the sleeve 7, during the swinging movement of the holder 13, said sleeve will yield to permit said arms to pass the same. After the holder 13 is released from the vent pipe 5, the plug 10 is forced down out of contact w he al 1 y po din 09 up end of its stem 11. Obviously, the sealing plug 10 will free itself from the lead seal 15 veryeasily, owing to its tapered engagement therewith.

The downward movement of the sealing plug 10 is limited by the engagement of the shoulders formed by the inner ends of the arms of the holder 13 with the upper end of the vent pipe 5, as shown in Fig. 2.

.While the sealing plug 10 is thus suspended in the ventpipe 5, the lead seal 15 may be removed from the vent pipe by driving a chisel or other tool between the vent pipe and seal and then bending said seal inward to collapse the same. After the lead seal 15 is removed from the vent pipe 5, the sealing plug 10 may be lifted therefrom, together with the oakum 14, with any chips or. dirt,.which may have dropped thereon.

With the seal removed from thevent pipe, the upper end of the sleeve 7 may be pounded down over the upper end of. the vent pipe 5 and against the inner walls thereof, as shown in Fig. 4. The purpose of thus extending the sleeve 7 over the upper end of the vent pipe 5 and downward therein, is to give the work a neat and finished appearance and also to do away with all rough or uneven surfaces in which water and dirt might collect.

From the above description, it is evident that by the use of the improved sealing plug, vent or other pipes, either with or without frost-proof jackets, may be efliciently temporarily sealed. It is also evident that the holder 13 not only affords means for sus pending the sealing plug in an operative position in a pipe, but it prevents the sealing plug or other parts from dropping into said pipe and thereby clogging the same.

As the holder 13, either in its operative or inoperative position, projects above the upper end of the sleeve 7,.the same serves as an indicator for an oilicer or other person to determine whether or not the seal has been removed fromthe vent pipe. 7

By the use of the improved sealing plug the only appreciable expense is the tune required in sealing the vent pipe and the removal of the same therefrom, for thereason downward arranged to engage the upper end of the vent pipe and support the sealing plug in difi'erent positions in the vent pipe. In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS J. MOORE. Witnesses: V

CLARA DEMAREST, HARRY D. KILGORE. 

